Rochester Native Waging War on Homelessness
I have always loved stories about the accomplishments of young people who grew up in Rochester and went on to have a major impact on the lives of others. There certainly have been many over the years and I’m happy to report that I just happened upon another.
There’s an outfit in New Mexico that has been assisting homeless people for over 30-years. Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless provides comprehensive health and supportive services to people who find themselves facing homelessness in hopes that addressing their health issues will boost their chances of finding a solution to their troubles.
The group recently produced a video and distributed it on YouTube that shows a team of medical professionals visiting and treating people living on the streets in Albuquerque. He doesn’t have a speaking part, but many of the scenes of the video show the work of Dr. Sam Tri (he’s the one with the beard).
I viewed the video because it was shared on Facebook by his proud mother. I’ve known Mom and Dad (Mary and Mike) for almost 30-years and had the pleasure of knowing Sam as he moved through his Junior High and High School years. The now Dr. Tri was a 1998 graduate of Mayo High School and a standout player on a Spartan basketball team powered by future Minnesota Twins player Michael Restovich.
Growing up, Sam was a good kid and he apparently has very successfully made the transition into a good person. I’m not even remotely surprised.
My first encounter with the future physician was during the big Halloween Blizzard of 1991. My wife and I had just moved into the home across the street from the Tri’s house a few weeks earlier, and we were still getting to know our neighbors when we found ourselves unable to navigate the steep hill on the driveway leading into our garage. In the blinding snow, and without even being asked by an adult, Sam and his brother Charly (many of you know him as My Bike Guy in Rochester) came bounding down the hill on their driveway and made sure the newest couple in the neighborhood made it safely into their home to ride out the big storm. We tried to give them a few bucks as a way of saying thanks, but both brothers declined and said they were just glad they were home and able to help.
Watch the video and feel good Rochester. This town and the people who make it their home have made it a habit of providing this world with some darn good citizens.